Speculation about King Juan Carlos and his friendship with a German Princess

Following King Juan Carlos’ accident in Botswana, the Spanish gossip magazines have been talking about the German Princess, Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, and her relationship with the monarch. Separated and with two daughters she is being referred to in some places as ‘the King’s girlfriend’. A photograph of her from 6 or 7 years ago at a jewellery exhibition at the Hotel Ritz, in which she poses with the British jeweller, Patrick Mavros and King Juan Carlos is now circulating widely on the internet. An Italian paper, La Stampa, was the first to put the story into print. It wrote ‘In Spain there are two queens, the official 73 year old Sofía, married since to King Juan Carlos since 1962, and the informal, provocative and blonde 46 year old Princess Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, separated and a lover of the most ‘lady-killer’ King in Europe for the past four years. Corinna has been living in Madrid with her two daughters for some years and is reported that she met the King in 2006 at a banquet in the King’s honour when he visited Ditzingen, a village in the south of Germany. One internet site says the King has informed his children about his ‘special friendship’. A statement from the Zarzuela has said, ‘Don Juan Carlos will keep a grand discretion with respect to the friendships who accompany him in his personal activities’. It comes as there is an open debate on the future of the monarchy after the apology from the King regarding his safari trip in Botswana when the country is facing new cuts in spending and services. Socialist leader, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, has told El País that he would have told the King not to make his trip to Botswana. He also says the Monarchy should be included in new transparency legislation, noting that some security considerations must be kept private, but the Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, has drawn up new transparency legislation which does not include the Palace. El País reports that the 74 year old King is not so aware of current affairs as he used to be, but that he does not want to abdicate. A survey carried out for El Mundo by Sigma Dos, shows that 70% of Spaniards have accepted the King’s apology, but 52% think the events in Botswana have seriously damaged his image. 62% said the King should not accept gifts.